


Fine Glass of Wine

by Orangepencils



Series: To Do Lists [1]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Family Dynamics, Gen, Multi, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 02:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5479691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orangepencils/pseuds/Orangepencils
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(There’s a list, she has, of all the steps Kenny has to go through to achieve his dream. And every time she puts on her well-worn shoes, she reminds herself that it’s for him – for them. For them to have a better life. For Kenny to reach his dream and for her daughter to maybe go to College, if she wants to.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fine Glass of Wine

**Author's Note:**

> A special thanks to Lomitzz for checking this one over. Also, Kathleen = Mrs. Parson.

** Fine Glass of Wine **

 

Kathleen Parson remembers meeting the Zimmermanns for the first time. She had had an odd day off and she had saved up enough money for a bus ticket to see Kenny play. She couldn’t see him play as much anymore, but he always called her and left messages for her to listen to when she’d get home, after her double shift, or came back from her second or third job, depending of the days.

 

Anyways, she remembers really looking forward to seeing her son play again. It was one thing reading the papers and following his stats, but it was something else seeing him zoom by on his skates, chasing the puck and scoring in a blink of an eye. It was exhilarating. It reminded her that there were still good things left in this world. It was why she had sacrificed so much for Kenny – well, for her kids, really.

 

She doesn’t regret taking on the second job to keep him on the ice. He’s good. She knows her Kenny is good. Great even. And that he has a real chance. If it means getting a third job as well, then so be it. (There’s a list, she has, of all the steps Kenny has to go through to achieve his dream. And every time she puts on her well-worn shoes, she reminds herself that it’s for him – for them. For them to have a better life. For Kenny to reach his dream and for her daughter to maybe go to College, if she wants to.) (She really hopes she does. Because marrying a rich fellow doesn’t mean shit. She’s been there and done that and look at her now.)

 

\--

 

Of course, it didn’t start that way. When Kenny started playing, she wasn’t a single mother. No, back then, she had a husband. She actually had the American Dream, at some point. The husband, the house with the white piquet fence and the two kids. For a time, it was lovely.

 

Then the husband left, the mortgage came in full and joint custody was her new companion. (And even that didn’t last long, because he didn’t really want to see the kids anymore.)

 

Kenny started hockey before the divorce. Well – the separation. Divorces are expensive. Technically, she’s still a married woman. She’s still Mrs. Parson. She hates it, but her kids are Parsons and she doesn’t hate them. They’re nice Parsons. She supposes she can be a nice Parson too. She never went for the divorce. It was just too much and she had two kids to feed, plus all the other costs that came with it.

 

(She has to remind herself that she needs to stop by the grocery store, when she gets back, and pick up another carton of milk. Sometimes, she wonders if getting a cow wouldn’t be less expensive, considering how much dairy her daughter goes through. It’s better now that Kenny is out of the house, but he’ll be back at some point, before the big draft, and butter went up again.)

 

She’s digressing. When Kenny started playing, she had a husband who could afford hockey equipment for his son.

 

When Mr. Parson decided to start a new life without his current family, there was no more money for such trivial things like after school sports.

 

But her Kenny was really good. And he really loved hockey. And she knew he was really talented. She saw it him. Saw it in the way Kenny would sit by the old television set and memorize some of his favourite players’ moves. The way he would practice them out on the lake, during the winter months, perfecting and making them his own.

 

Kathleen did many sacrifices for her kids. She really tried to give them a normal life, despite the divorce. Well, the separation. It’s the same thing really. And she would never plan to take the asshole back in. Even with his money. Even if it meant she didn’t have to work three jobs and wake up with more pain than she’d wish on her worst enemy.

 

She’s an independent woman, damn it. She’s proved the world that she can make it on her own. She doesn’t need some man’s help to make it. She can manage on her own.

 

No, she would rather work her three jobs, have her two kids, and eat the last of the last of the leftovers and only after she knows her kids had enough to eat.

 

But that’s not the point. Not now.

 

This is about the first time she met the Zimmermanns. And watching Kenny play again.

 

\--

 

She knew of the Zimmermanns. Kenny had spoken about them a lot. Well, about Jack. His best friend. And how great he was. And how much fun he’d had last weekend when the Zimmermanns took him and Jack to the Carnaval. And how the month before that he’d gone over to their place for a sleepover.

 

And well. It was a lot for Kathleen. But, at least her Kenny had a friend. Sometimes, it’s hard keeping up with her two kids and their little social lives. Kenny with hockey and her daughter with junior high.

 

And, she meant to call the Zimmermanns, really. She still had manners. Poor people have manners. But, she was working three jobs and she had taken up a few extra shifts to cover for her small weekend getaway.

 

(She reminds herself that she needs to mend her daughter’s socks, when she gets back. She meant to do it on the bus, but there wasn’t enough time to go back home. The socks will have to wait. She might be able to do her mending on her forty-five minute bus ride to her third job, this Tuesday. She’s learnt to maximise her time.)

 

\--

 

Bus tickets aren’t cheap.

 

It was a good thing her daughter had a birthday-party-sleepover.

 

She knew she looked like shit. She practically clocked out, took the bus to Rimouski, and walked into the arena, grabbing a cup of coffee at the concession stand.

 

Her clothes are wrinkly and well worn, but she has her jacket over them. So it’s okay. And she touched up her lipstick.

 

And – she has never cared about her appearance. She’s a proud woman. She doesn’t need anyone’s approval. She works hard for her kids and that’s all that matters. If they look good then she looks good. They make her look good.

 

But when she sees the Zimmermanns – she knows it’s them. There’s an air to them. She just knows.

 

Well – when she sees them, she suddenly feels her status. She suddenly feels Kenny’s fourth-hand hockey equipment she got at the local church charity. (She still remembers that one time, when she found a hockey jersey, during one of the charities, and how overjoyed she was when she saw that it was Kenny’s favourite player’s jersey. Sure, it was two sizes too big for him, and it was a little worn, but she knew how much Kenny wanted one and his birthday was coming up.)

 

(What she doesn’t know is that Kenny still has it. He even still wears it to sleep, when he’s feeling particularly homesick and in need of a little motivation. It never mattered to him that the jersey was too big, too old, or that the player got traded two years later, retired three years after that, and never won a cup. At the time, the man had been Kent’s favourite player and the jersey represented everything to him. Courage, determination, hope, and his mother’s love.)

 

Kathleen suddenly feels her well-worn clothes and her too small shoes.

 

She knows she has to go up to them, but she never told herself when she has to do it.

 

For now, she watches Kenny play. And her son is right. He and that Zimmermann boy are something else.

 

It’s an excellent game. It reminds her of simpler times. Saturday mornings spent at the local arena, the sun not even up, cheering for her little Kenny in his too big gear, as he whizzed by her and grinned.

 

For the first time in years, Kathleen Parson has fun.

 

\--

 

It’s only really after the game that she meets the Zimmermanns.

 

Because she’s standing at the back of the entrance, waiting for the players to come out of the locker rooms and when she sees her Kenny – her baby come out, hair still wet, joking with that Zimmermann boy, she can’t help the smile on her face.

 

There’s a moment of shock on Kenny’s face and then he runs over to her, all smiles and gangly teenage limbs.

 

They hug for a really long time, before Kenny drags her over to meet the Zimmermanns.

 

She hopes the Zimmermanns won’t stop taking care of her Kenny after they see her.

 

(This reminds her she has to ask her neighbour to give her hair a trim at some point during the next week, because her hair is getting a tad long and she has no time to take care of it. Maybe she can go next Friday, before clocking in at the Deli.)

 

\--

 

She still remembers the first words out of Alicia Zimmermann’s mouth directed at her.

 

_“You must be Kent’s mother! It’s so good to finally meet you! Now I know where he got all his good looks from.”_

Kathleen wants to beam. Of course Kenny took his looks from her. Certainly not from that asshole.

 

Well.

 

Alicia Zimmermann, Kathleen soon finds out, is the definition of vivacious. She has energy in quantities and it exudes off her in waves. She’s a fire cracker and Kathleen appreciates her wit and her wicked sense of humour.

 

It’s obvious Jack took after Bob, personality wise.

 

Jack is quiet, Bob is friendly, and Kenny gives her a look that says “what did I say Mom, aren’t they great?”

 

Kathleen doesn’t let herself get too impressed. She knows how rich people are. They take pity on you and use you as some sort of charity work. She’s none of that. She has pride. Kathleen thanks the Zimmermanns for what they’ve done for her son and in return, her and Kenny are invited out for supper.

 

She hadn’t budgeted for that.

 

She hopes it won’t cost too much.

 

She’s running out of wiggle room on her credit cards.

 

They pile up in the Zimmermann’s car, after Alicia finds out she took the bus here. She gets a chance to catch up with Kenny for a moment and tries not to embarrass him too much.

 

But she’s a Mom.

 

And it’s okay, Alicia swaps stories with her.

 

Dinner is something she would never even consider for herself. Not even in her dreams.

 

(There’s chicken in the freezer she should really use, before it goes bad. Cauliflower was on special, last time she did groceries. It would go well with the chicken.)

 

\--

 

The people at the door recognise the Zimmermanns and lead them to their usual table. Kathleen knows she won’t have enough. She figures she can get away with a salad. Or whatever is the least expensive item on the menu. Hopefully Kenny’s meal won’t be too much. He’s a growing boy. He needs his protein.

 

Still.

 

(Maybe Eddy will give her an advance just this once. She’ll even babysit his grandkids. At some point.)

 

Alicia is great. Gregarious. Fun. Full of life.

 

That’s the only thing Kathleen can say. She wishes she could be like that. Laid back and easy going without a care in the world.

 

She’s not sure how Alicia does it, but she manages to order a bottle of wine for the adults and some other fancy non-alcoholic drinks for the boys. She pours Kathleen a generous glass and tells her to try it, because it’s her favourite. She takes a sip. She hasn’t allowed herself wine in years.

 

If Kathleen had money, she would buy cases of this wine.

 

She hasn’t had good wine in so long.

 

So long.

 

The wine loosens her up some and she feels less tense about dinner. Alicia cracks some jokes and it helps. She even throws some back and she has Alicia in stitches, leaning against Bob and Kenny looks mortified, but it’s the good type. It’s the “Mom please stop being such a Mom and telling embarrassing stories.”

 

Kathleen realises she hasn’t had this much fun in years.

 

She still orders the salad.

 

She doesn’t think the Zimmermanns are going to cover her and Kent’s food. Not when she’s here. Not when she’s supposed to pay for her son.

 

And bless her Kenny, he was modest with his own meal. He has his heart in the right place. She raised a good son. Tough on the outside, but soft on the inside.

 

Like her.

 

\--

 

Sometimes, she looks at pictures of Kent and she’s happy she sees a lot of herself in him. There was a time when she saw more of the asshole. She was afraid her children would turn out like him. But they didn’t. And she thinks her kids really appreciate her. It’s not always been easy, but now they’re older. They get it. It sucks, but they get it. (She remembers when they didn’t get it. How hard it was to explain to an eight and ten year old why they couldn’t see the new Harry Potter movie. It still hurts.)

 

Kent keeps saying he’ll make it better when he makes it to the NHL.

 

Sometimes, Kathleen dares to dream.

 

\--

 

Alicia orders more food than Kathleen has ever seen one person eat. She has no idea how someone Alicia’s size can eat all of that.

 

Jack rolls his eyes, Bob makes a comment in French, and Kenny looks a bit embarrassed. She wonders what it’s all about. Her French is non-existent. She knows Kenny’s been picking up a few words here and there.

 

(Maybe when she’ll have some time she’ll finish off her Rosetta Stone Spanish class.)

 

Alicia pours more wine and makes an offhand comment about how delicious her lobster stuffed ravioli is. Kathleen can’t even say she ever tried lobster, but she’s seen advertisements on television and well – it looks amazing. The smell is amazing.

 

Before she knows it, Alicia is dishing out some of the ravioli on Kent’s, Jack’s and her dish. Bob doesn’t get any. It’s a long story, Alicia says over another forkful.

 

Kathleen eats the ravioli, because she hates wasting food and she’s actually still hungry.

 

It’s divine.

 

It’s perfect.

 

She’s never eaten anything tastier in her life.

 

She would order a case of that wine and eat lobster ravioli every day, if she could.

 

One day, she’ll have all the fancy wine and ravioli she wants. Hopefully. If not, well, she can dream. That’s still free.

 

Before she can say anything, there’s more ravioli on her dish. Jack even takes some from Alicia. Alicia nods.

 

Kathleen tries to protest, but Alicia brushes her off saying she ordered too much food. Again. But everything is so good. She never knows what to take and she really was hungry when they got here, but the goat cheese melts were filling.

 

(Alicia had given her one and she had to admit they were heavenly.)

 

\--

 

It takes Kathleen a while to understand the game Alicia is playing.

 

It takes three entrees and half a main course for her to get it, but where Kathleen would normally protest and say she doesn’t need anyone’s pity, she’s too hungry and too grateful to say anything. Plus, there doesn’t seem to be any malice behind Alicia’s actions. It’s a relief, really, because it might be good for Kenny, in the long run.

 

Still, Kathleen is a prideful woman and she doesn’t want to overdo it. So she takes a cup of tea to close off her meal and refuses the offer for dessert. She does elbow Kent to get some, though. He’s a growing boy and he deserves nice things.

 

She can manage desert, for once.

 

\--

 

When the bill comes, she tries to tell the waitress that she’s paying for herself and Kent, but Alicia manages to snatch it, before she can say anything.

 

Alicia says that it’s on her and Kathleen wants to protest. She does, even. She didn’t tag along for the free meal and the Zimmermanns have done enough for her Kenny as it is.

 

Bob tells her it’s the least they can do. After all, she came all the way up from Albany to see Kent play. It’s a special occasion. She already paid her part by taking the bus. They can cover dinner.

 

Kathleen wants to cry, really. But she doesn’t. She thanks them again and is glad Kenny has made such a good friend.

 

\--

 

On their way out, Alicia offers to drive her to the bus station and she finds herself accepting. Normally, she would have refused, but for once, she decides to indulge. She’s tired of doing everything on her own and she sees kindness in the other woman’s eyes.

 

(She decides to add the Zimmermann’s to her small list of holiday cards she sends every year. Her friend works at the post-office. Maybe she’ll slip her the Canada postage stamp in for free. Stamps are also expensive. But, the Zimmermanns paid for dinner and they’re so nice to Kenny.)

 

And once she’s said bye to Kenny, after Alicia slips her their phone number on a piece of paper, she swears to herself that one day, she’ll repay the favour. Even if it means taking on a fourth job.

 

She never thought it would be so soon though.

 

**FIN**

 

**Started typing: December 19 th 2015, 10:02pm**

**Finished typing: December 19 th 2015, 11h53pm**

**Author's Note:**

> I'm randomoranges on Tumblr. Come say hi if you want.


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